1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sorting conveyor, and more particularly, to a sorting conveyor with a tiltable supporting tray. The supporting tray is swivelable from a horizontal transporting position to a position at an angle to the horizontal by a tilting or swiveling movement about a tilting axle extending in the transporting direction. The supporting tray is swivelable by means of a tipping mechanism arranged on a driven car, the car being used to deliver transported goods which are loaded at a pick-up station to a preselected location. The swiveling of the supporting tray and a stopping process can be initiated via stationary cam rails.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sorting conveyor of this type is disclosed in German Patent Application Number DE 40 90 308 T1. This sorting conveyor enables tilting of the supporting tray by pulling a special cam follower roller first outward and then downward. When pulled outward, the rollers move outward into guide portions in the vicinity of the upper end of the lower guide portions. This roller movement is accompanied by a corresponding swiveling movement of an arm so that when these rollers are guided along the guide portions they enable a downward movement of the arm which tilts the tilting body and its supporting tray. During this tilting, other rollers move upward along the opposite arm from upper tracks. In so doing, this opposite arm is held inward in a substantially unchanged angular position ensuring that the rollers move back into the initial position during the subsequent return movement of the trays. Although sliding in corresponding cam guides on a plane vertical to the transporting direction, the rollers encounter a high resistance when pulled outward caused by the corresponding roller at the opposite arm pulling inward in opposition. Therefore, the friction resistance is correspondingly great and the rollers and arms are highly stressed to a corresponding extent. For this reason, this known solution can be used at best for transporting smaller goods whose weight does not exceed a few kilos.